Showing posts with label Antiques. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Antiques. Show all posts

Monday, February 22, 2010

2 very different, but beautiful houses. Which do you prefer?

Incase you haven't noticed, I've been loving Country Living Mag. lately. Don't be fooled, it's not all chintzy florals and rooster collections, they have a great grasp on what it means as a lifestyle. It can be modern, retro, or casual, and it's not your grandma's "country." Anyway, in their Feb. issues they featured two houses, both very different, and both worth sharing.


House 1 - simple with a Scandinavian design smarts





I like the home office/sewing room in the photo above.

Home 2 showcases great antique finds - some splurges, some bargains.


Don't worry, the zebra skin is faux.


So, which home is more you!?

images via Country Living Feb. 2010

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Get the best vintage finds and use them well!

I think vintage is one of those styles that is more easily said than done. It really takes an eye capable of imagining a certain item in your home to tell whether or not it's a good fit, and I'm sure one gets better with practice! I found these tips particularly clever.


Be selective. Collecting should be about quality, not quantity. Remember to keep your collection fluid, not set in concrete. If better examples are found, sell off the poorer ones.


Question yourself. Do you love it? Is it a good example of its type? How rare is this particular one? Is it by a notable maker/designer? Is it in good, original condition?



tips and images via Home Life


A vintage window makes a stylish substitute for a transom in the passageway between the entry hall and the living room. Old windows are easily found and can be used to add architecture where it might be missing, or even to serve as affordable art.

The homeowner's favorite find is this bedroom door, which they mounted on a track like a barn door. The decal touts Dr. Swett's Early American Root Beer.

When a beloved vintage sign fell off the homeowners' truck and shattered on the highway, they had a quick-witted cabinetmaker turn the fragments into a backsplash.



tips and images via BHG

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

STUNNING Antique Spanish doors

Segovia and the older cities of Spain are full of gorgeous, ornate wooden doors which I would love to be able to pack up and bring back home with me, but with the price of checking bags these days it's just not an option. However, one can acquire such goodies in the states from wonderful companies such as Portera Doors, who lovingly restore antique Spanish doors in California. ...Oh if I was a rich girl...


A close-up


Does the door above look familiar? Remember the chest from the Castle Alcazar in this post?
The two images below are the chest -





A close-up

A close-up

So - over the next couple of weeks I'm going to try and take pictures of all the gorgeous doors around the city so you can compare for yourself!

images via Portera Doors

Monday, December 14, 2009

Period houses galore - people who live in centuries old homes

I literally stumbled across the site, Period Properties the other day, and down the rabbit hole I fell! It's like flipping through a fairy tale and seeing how people - rich and poor, lived hundreds of years ago. The catch is people live there now, have tried to preserve the character of the home, and tell their renovating stories.


unreal



I could totally call this cottage my own :)








My mother would love this room!

So - what do you think? Could you live in a home this old and so historically decorated?

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Giveaway - "Good, Better, Best" a guide for spotting the "find"

I'm happy to announce a giveaway I'm having this week for Carol Prisant's (she's author of the Antiques Roadshow Primer) book Good, Better, Best. I can't wait to thoroughly read this over the holidays, because Antiques are always something I've been interested in, but I'm just too intimidated to actually purchase because I know so little about them. But this is a really good guide that doesn't require you to bite off more than you can chew, and it gives you the history and selling points of many different antiques. Here is the cover and a two spreads so you can get an idea.








If this book is something you'd like, just leave any comment on this post and you will be entered to win. Or you can email me saying you'd like to enter the Good, Better, Best book giveaway, and I'll add your name to the drawing. Email me at ashley@decorologyblog.com. Good luck!
The contest closes on Tuesday, Nov. 17th at 6pm Eastern Time, and the winner announced the following morning.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Interior photographer portfolio - a light and airy treat

This is the portfolio of Maree Homer. I love the blend of country, modern, down-to-earth lived-inness (prob. not a real word) that these homes capture. One day when I finally stop moving once a year I hope to achieve such a comforting home.

















All images property of Maree Homer